Cosco Workshops Well-Received

Council of Senior Citizens Organizations of BC president Gudrun Langolf reported that COSCO representatives met with Adrian Dix at the Tech Acute Centre at the BC Children’s Hospital, and at the Vancouver General Hospital when he made health announcements about funding for more acute care centres throughout the province.  We also spoke to MLA Anne Kang, the Minister for Seniors about initiatives for seniors health and housing concerns.

The Emergency Room and Stay on the Road:  A practical guide for senior drivers workshops have been well-received.  Sheila Pither and Annette O’Connor have made all the arrangements and have had COSCO presenters travel throughout the province including the Okanagan, Kootenay, and north.

The next workshops will be held in the fall:

COSCO is most grateful for the funds from BCRTA.  For further information or registration for these free workshops, contact Annette O’Connor  coscosecretary@gmail.com

COSCO is working on issues including Bill C-27 and universal Pharmacare.  At their latest meeting Dr. Margaret McGregor from Coastal Health spoke about the issues of health care.

COSCO representatives spoke to the OAPO (Old Age Pensioners Organization) AGM in Nanaimo in June, and presented two workshops. Representatives will attend the Gathering of Elders of First Nations in Duncan in July.

At the June meeting COSCO members voted on many resolutions which will be sent to the National Pensioners Federation NPF convention in September.

Gudrun Langolf attended the South Granville event with MP Jody Wilson-Raybould when Eddie Elmer of the Vancouver Seniors Advisory committee spoke about his research for his doctorate on senior isolation issues.

Kathleen Jamieson is the Health chair of NPF and has submitted an analysis of the Bilateral Health Care Agreement on the federal funding for Homecare and Mental Health care. She wrote an article about residential care in the latest COSCO News.

Submitted by Barb Mikulec